1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a radio-signal transceiver receiving a message transmitted from a base station and a method of controlling a radio-signal transceiver, and more particularly to a radio-signal transceiver which is capable of reducing a work volume of inputting data thereinto by an operator to thereby enhance serviceability thereof, and a method of controlling a radio-signal transceiver, capable of doing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been suggested various radio-signal transceivers. One of such radio-signal transceivers is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-307919, as a radio-signal selective calling receiver. The disclosed radio-signal selective calling receiver is illustrated in FIG. 1. For instance, the illustrated radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 may be used as a pager or a pocket bell.
With reference to FIG. 1, the radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 is comprised of an antenna 41, a receiver 42 receiving a message through the antenna 41, a decoder 43 decoding a received message, a controller 44 controlling an operation of the radio-signal selective calling receiver 40, a memory 45 storing tables therein, a display screen 46 displaying a received message, an amplifier 47, a speaker 48 informing a user that a message has been received, and a switch 49.
The controller 44 includes a random access memory (RAM) 441 therein. The memory 45 includes a first table 451, a second table 452 and a third area 453.
The first table 451 contains a plurality of routine sentences having been made in advance. When the controller 44 judges to receive a specific code from a transmitter, the controller 44 reads a routine sentence associated with the received specific code, out of the first table 451, and displays the thus read-out sentence on the display screen 46. Such routine sentences to be stored in the first table 451 may be made by a manufacturer of a radio-signal selective calling receiver or a user.
The second table 452 is used for converting a received message into other language. For instance, if a received message contains Chinese characters, the received message is converted into the Japanese syllabary (kana), for instance. The third area 453 is an area for storing the thus converted message therein.
The radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 illustrated in FIG. 1 is designed to include two tables 451 and 452. When the radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 receives a message, the controller 44 reads out a control code assigned to a message at a head thereof. If the read-out control code indicates a routine sentence, the controller 44 converts the received message into a routine sentence through the first table 451, and displays the routine sentence on the display screen 46. If the read-out control code indicates a sentence other than a routine sentence, the controller 44 converts the received message into the Japanese syllabary, for instance, through the second table 452, and displays the thus converted sentence on the display screen 46.
In the conventional radio-signal selective calling receiver 40, characters and figures are input and registered through quite complicated operation, and specific data may be input thereinto. A message is transmitted from a transmitter to the radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 through a radio-signal, and data can be registered only from a single transmitter in one registration operation.
Hereinbelow is explained an operation of the radio-signal selective calling receiver 40.
A message addressed to a calling number of the radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 is received at the receiver 42 through the antenna 41. The thus received message is decoded by the decoder 43, and then, is transmitted to the controller 44. The controller 44 converts the received message into the Japanese syllabary, for instance, letter by letter through the second table 452 stored in the memory 45. When the controller 44 reads out a routine sentence registration code and a registration number appearing after a conversion completion code, the controller 44 stores the message having been converted into the Japanese syllabary, in association with the registration number, in the third area 453 in the memory 45.
As mentioned so far, a certain message is registered as a routine sentence in the conventional radio-signal selective calling receiver 40.
The radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 is designed to have the limited number of operation buttons because of downsizing of the receiver. As a result, characters and figures are input and registered in the radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 through quite complicated and laborious steps. The radio-signal selective calling receiver 40 is accompanied with a problem that it can register a received message relating to specific registration data, but cannot register received messages relating a plurality of registration data.
Some transceivers are designed to have an external interface function for making wiring communication and optical communication. However, if communication interface format were not unified, it would be impossible to register data in such transceivers, resulting in a problem that a user cannot readily register data.
In addition, if a plurality of users commonly use one data, each of users has to register data in each of their receivers. That is, in accordance with the conventional radio-signal selective calling receiver 40, it was not possible to register data in a plurality of the receivers in a single registration step.
Various radio-signal transceivers have been suggested as follows.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-186635 has suggested a radio-signal selective calling receiver. In the suggested radio-signal selective calling receiver, received data is processed into telephone directory data, and stored in a memory. Data stored in a memory and individual message data are sorted. In addition, selected one among telephone directory data and individual message data is read out, and is erased. A certain individual calling address number is read out among telephone directory data stored in a memory, and is transmitted through a dialer. The radio signal selective calling receiver also includes a dialer connector terminal and a printer connector terminal such that individual message data can be printed through a printer connected thereto.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-64761 has suggested a radio-signal receiver comprised of an antenna, a receiver receiving a radio-signal through the antenna, a data table obtaining a line of characters, based on data having been received at the receiver, associating a certain sentence made by a transmitter with an identifier for identifying the sentence to thereby make a routine sentence, and storing the sentence therein, a display screen displaying the line of characters having been obtained in the data table, an interface, and a controller controlling radio-signal receiving operation of the receiver, writing/reading operation of the data table, and display operation of the display screen, in accordance with a signal input through the interface.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-65395 has suggested a method of storing a number in a memory of a pager, including the steps of calling the pager through a telephone, inputting a telephone number and associated data to be registered, into the telephone in the form of a message, and storing the telephone number and associated data, which have been received at the pager, in the memory.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-247725 has suggested a mobile radio-signal transceiver transmitting a message stored in a memory in association with a predetermined number, in accordance with a selective-calling signal transmitted from a base station. The mobile radio-signal transceiver is comprised of means for judging whether the selective-calling signal contains a request to register a message, and means for storing the message in the memory in association with a number included in the selective-calling signal for indicating a memory to store the message therein, if the selective-calling signal contains the request.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-63630 has suggested a selective-calling receiver comprised of means for displaying a received message, means for storing the received message, a message processing circuit which selects only necessary data among the message displayed, a message editing circuit which edits the selected data into a single document, and means for updating the thus edited message, storing the edited message in a memory, and displaying the stored message again.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-23439 has suggested a method of outputting received data in a radio-signal selective calling handy receiver comprised of a circuit receiving a data signal transmitted thereto, a memory storing the data signal having been received at the circuit, a display device which displays that the data signal has been received. In this method, the received data signal stored in the memory is converted into optical signals, and then, is radiated into the air for transmitting to an opponent light receiver.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-298604 has suggested an apparatus for making a message, comprised of a first memory in which routine message data is to be stored, means for selecting one or more of routine message data which is to be stored in the first memory, means for editing the thus selected routine message data, and a second memory in which the thus edited routine message data is stored.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-98755 has suggested a radio-signal selective calling receiver which is capable of detecting data having been transmitted again and data having not been transmitted, even if the radio-signal selective calling receiver receives a transmission number older than the latest M transmission numbers.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-191414 has suggested a radio-signal selective calling receiver including a memory storing telephone directory data consisting of telephone numbers and names, means for, when a message is received from a telephone number stored in the memory, displaying telephone number data associated with the telephone number, and means for extracting a telephone number and a name from the received message, and registering them in the memory as telephone directory data.
In spite of the radio-signal transceivers suggested in the above-mentioned Publications, the above-mentioned problems remain unsolved.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a radio-signal transceiver in which a base station as a radio-signal transmitter can register various data such as a telephone directory, a routine sentence, alarm, figure and animation, as well as specific data, and which can simplify data-input operation to thereby enhance operability and serviceability for a user.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling a radio-signal transceiver which is capable of doing the same.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio-signal transceiver including (a) an antenna, (b) a radio-signal receiver receiving a message having been received through the antenna, addressed to a calling number of the radio-signal transmitter, (c) a main controller controlling an operation of the radio-signal receiver, (d) an interface through which a command is input into the radio-signal receiver, (e) an auxiliary controller analyzing the command and transmitting a signal indicative of an operation represented by the command, to the main controller, (f) a display screen displaying the message, and (g) a message analyzer analyzing the message and extracting data to be registered, the auxiliary controller making judgement as to whether a received message is able to be registered, based on analysis made by the message analyzer, and registering a received message automatically or manually, if a received message is judged to be able to be registered.
The radio-signal transceiver may further includes (h) a message memory storing a received message therein, (i) a data base manager managing data extracted by the message analyzer, and 0) a data base memory storing data transmitted from the data base manager, the main controller reading message out of the message memory, and storing the thus read-out message in the data base memory, on receipt of a command to register a received message, transmitted from the interface.
It is preferable that the radio-signal receiver has capability of transmitting a message, the radio-signal receiver, on receipt of a command transmitted from the interface, reading a message out of the message memory and/or data base memory and transmitting the thus read-out message to an external printer through the antenna to thereby print the message.
It is preferable that the radio-signal receiver has capability of transmitting a message, the radio-signal receiver, if a received message contains an error, causing a base station to transmit the message thereto again.
There is further provided a radio-signal transceiver including (a) an antenna, (b) a radio-signal receiver receiving a message having been received through the antenna, addressed to a calling number of the radio-signal transmitter, (c) a main controller controlling an operation of the radio-signal receiver, (d) an interface through which a command is input into the radio-signal receiver, (e) an auxiliary controller analyzing the command and transmitting a signal indicative of an operation represented by the command, to the main controller, (f) a display screen displaying the message, and (g) a message analyzer analyzing the message and extracting data to be registered, the auxiliary controller making judgement as to whether a received message is able to be registered, based on analysis made by the message analyzer, and registering a received message automatically or manually, if a received message is judged to be able to be registered, the interface having a function of editing a message displayed on the display screen.
The radio-signal transceiver may further include (h) a message memory storing a received message therein, (i) a data base manager managing data extracted by the message analyzer, and (j) a data base memory storing data transmitted from the data base manager, the main controller reading message out of the message memory, and storing the thus read-out message in the data base memory, on receipt of a command to register a received message, transmitted from the interface, the interface reading message out of the message memory, and editing the thus read-out message.
The radio-signal transceiver may further include (h) a message memory storing a received message therein, (i) a data base manager managing data extracted by the message analyzer, and (j) a data base memory storing data transmitted from the data base manager, the interface reading message out of the data base memory, and editing the thus read-out message.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a radio-signal transceiver, including the steps of (a) receiving a message addressed to a calling number of the radio-signal transceiver, (b) making judgement as to whether the thus received message is able to be registered, and (c) automatically or manually registering the received message, if the received message is judged to be able to be registered.
It is preferable that the method further includes the steps of (d) storing the received message in a message memory, and (e) reading the received memory out of the message memory, and storing the thus read-out message into a data base.
It is preferable that the method further includes the steps of (f) displaying the received message on a display screen, and (g) editing the received message on the display screen.
It is preferable that the method further includes the steps of (h) reading a message out of the message memory and/or data base, and (i) transmitting the thus read-out message to an external printer to thereby print the message.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of causing a base station to transmit a message again, if the received message contains an error.
The advantages obtained by the aforementioned present invention will be described hereinbelow.
The radio-signal transceiver and the method of controlling the same both in accordance with the present invention makes it possible to register a received message in a simple operation. This ensures reduction in a work volume to be carried out by a user for registration, and enhances serviceability. As a result, whereas a line of characters or figures were registered through a complicated switch operation in a conventional radio-signal transceiver, a line of characters and figures can be registered by registering a received message without any additional operation, in accordance with the present invention. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of switch operations.
Since a message can be registered by single transmission of a message, it would be possible to concurrently register a message in a plurality of radio-signal transceivers. When a calling number was commonly used by a group of users, data was conventionally registered in each of radio-signal transceivers. In contrast, in accordance with the present invention, data received as a message can be registered directly in the radio-signal transceiver, and in addition, can be concurrently registered in a plurality of radio-signal transceivers, ensuring enhancement of serviceability.
In addition, in accordance with the present invention, a received message is not only displayed on a display screen, but also can be printed out by means of a printer. Thus, all messages can be observed at the same time, and a message can be reserved in the form of a printed paper, when a memory is full of messages.
When there occurs an error for some reason while a message is being transmitted, the radio-signal transceiver may transmit a signal to a base station which signal is indicative of time zone in which a message has been transmitted. The base station transmits a message again to the radio-signal transceiver, and thus, the radio-signal transceiver can properly receive a message.
If a message is not an urgent one, a base station may be designed to store such non-urgent messages, and transmit them to the radio-signal transceiver when such non-urgent messages reach a predetermined amount. Thus, it is not necessary to keep a battery of the radio-signal transceiver on, ensuring saving power consumption.